The covers have been taken off the new Formula E car that will be used for
next year’s inaugural championship, with some of the biggest names from
British motorsport involved in the project.

McLaren and Williams, two iconic Formula One teams, have helped to build the Spark-Renault SRT_01E, which was officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday, providing the powertrain and the battery respectively.

The world of motorsport is gradually embracing the future, with manufacturers eager not to look out of touch and similarly keen to develop technology which can then be applied to road cars.

Formula One is moving to new hybrid technology next year, with turbo-charged 1.6litre V6 engines allied to new, more powerful Energy Recovery Systems.

However, Formula E is going electric all the way and a host of major cities, including London, Miami, Los Angeles, Beijing, Rome and Rio de Janeiro, have signed up to be part of the first ever global zero-emissions series.

"This is a great day for Formula E," said Formula E Holdings CEO Alejandro Agag who pulled off the covers of the SRT_01E with FIA president Jean Todt. "One year ago we had an idea of the first global zero emissions championship. Today we take a big step towards making it a reality."

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Todt added: "I'm very pleased. We know how important this championship is for the future. We have people who have believed in this project."

If all goes to plan the series is due to begin in September 2014, with the first race potentially taking place in or around London’s Olympic Park in Stratford, a venue that was previously looked at by Formula One.

While there remains a good deal of scepticism over the Formula E project, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson said earlier this year that he was “hugely keen” for it to happen.

“It has the potential to highlight the impressive strides being made in the manufacture of electric vehicles, and hosting a street race could be of considerable economic benefit to our city,” he said.